Bessa R3x and 35mm Lens

[nitrogen28]

Hi,

I m about to get a R3A Body these day and was wondering what your experiences are when using the camera with wider lenses. Does anyone use the Rangefinder with a 35 mm lens? Does anyone use external viefinders?

Just post your thoughts about using this camera with wide angle lenses? Is the camera a goode idea for shooting wide?

 

[JRG]

This question has been discussed here before, several times.

 

[MickH]

I'll try and be a little more helpful that the previous contributor.

If w-i-d-e is your preference and you want a Bessa, go for the R4M oe R4A. These cameras are built for use with wides between 50 & 21.

Alot of people here use external v/finders to allow wides to be used on the R3 and similar cameras. If you search within the site there is much to be learned.

 

[g12]

For wider, go for an R4x, the R3xs are basically built for 40mm or longer, the viewfinder is 1:1 so you can shoot with both eyes open.

 

[Svitantti]

I'd say R2x works fine with 35mm too, at least if you don't have glasses. So it doesn't have to bee R4

 

[payasam]

Lenses even wider will need separate finders, but the 40mm frame of the R3x should be reasonably close to 35mm.

Good (lucky?) picture in your avatar, Svitantti.

 

[kxl]

35mm is fine on the R3A - just use the full frame. In fact, I prefer the R3A to the R4A for 35mm and longer.

For wider lenses, you can use the R3A with an external VF (if you want to have an idea re: framing) or just swing and shoot, since you're going to have plenty of DOF to work with anyway.

For example: for a 25mm lens, if you set the focus distance to 10 ft and aperture to f5.6, everything from about 5 and a half ft to 55 feet will be in focus.

Keith

 

[nitrogen28]

This question has been discussed here before, several times.

Sorry but the search function isn t any good in this forum. :bang::bang::bang:

Thanks for the comments. I ll try it with the R3A and a 40 mm Nokton. Later I ll the decide whether to upgrade with a viewfinder or a R2/4X.

As soon my first roll is developed I ll post the highlights here.

 

[aniMal]

Yes... I use google for searching the forum, the string I want + rangefinderforum... Works fine!

 

[nitrogen28]

Good idea! Never thought of that.
Thanks

 

[naren]

I'm curious about the 1:1 finder aspect of this camera in general use. I mean how ofter do you end up taking advantage of being able to have both eyes open? Maybe moreso if shoot people in crowded areas?

Also I've noticed in the design of this camera that the eyepiece is not entirely off on the end of the camera body like some rangefinders. Since I have not been able to get my hands on one to check it out- I wonder if the rewind knob to the left of the finder somehow diminishes this benefit of a 1:1 finder that I've been curious about. I hope not because this camera is pretty high on my shopping list.

 

[conradyiu]

Same as most of them, 35mm on R3x is fine by the full viewfinder.

Out of topic, sad to realize that China photog-fans cannot check the CameraQuest website any more as the web is blocked.
Reason not known though.

 

[Max Power]

I have the R3A and I use a 2.5/35 CS on it. I've found that the 40mm framelines are close enough to 35mm to be able to work. I suppose that if I went with a wider lens, I'd probably go with an aux finder.

 

[Max Power]

I'm curious about the 1:1 finder aspect of this camera in general use. I mean how ofter do you end up taking advantage of being able to have both eyes open? Maybe moreso if shoot people in crowded areas?

Also I've noticed in the design of this camera that the eyepiece is not entirely off on the end of the camera body like some rangefinders. Since I have not been able to get my hands on one to check it out- I wonder if the rewind knob to the left of the finder somehow diminishes this benefit of a 1:1 finder that I've been curious about. I hope not because this camera is pretty high on my shopping list.

I use mine with both eyes opened all the time. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's really hard to go back to anything else (IMO).

As for the rewind knob, I think that it's so close into your FOV that you don't actually 'see' it. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but I can assure you that the 1:1 viewfinder really is amazing, and you can actually shoot with both eyes opened.

You need to get your hands on one just to see how cool it really is.

 

[Svitantti]

I think especially for people with glasses it would be hard to use the whole frame of R3x, because I've heard it is quite hard even to use the 40mm framelines.

I know RF finder is probably not 100% accurate anyway but this 5mm difference surely must mean something when reasonably strict framing is needed... And I wouldn't want to crop much the majority of my photos.

Good (lucky?) picture in your avatar, Svitantti.

Thanks 😉. Actually I thought of it when I noticed the funny "flying hats" and the mirror. I had just read Lee Friedlander's "Self Portrait", which inspired me.
Here is the whole image: http://www.students.tut.fi/~hannine7/selfportrait_bw2.jpg

 

[oscroft]

I don't know how to describe it exactly, but I can assure you that the 1:1 viewfinder really is amazing, and you can actually shoot with both eyes opened.

I know exactly what you mean, and I agree - I really only recently started using my R3A which I got a few months ago (with a Summicron-C 40), and the 1:1 with both eyes open is a revelation.

And I'd say if you want two bodies, R3/R4 makes a great combination.